Belgium
Small but mighty, Belgium packs world-class chocolate, beer, waffles, and art into a country you can cross in two hours. Medieval Flemish cities like Bruges and Ghent feel like open-air museums, while Brussels mixes EU bureaucracy with Art Nouveau grandeur.
Capital
Brussels
Language
Dutch, French, German
Currency
Euro (€)
Timezone
UTC+1 / UTC+2 (summer)
Population
11.6 million
Best Time
April — June, September — October
All walks in Belgium
Walking Culture
Belgium's compact size makes it perfect for walking between towns. The GR trails (Grande Randonnée) cross the country, and the Ardennes hills offer forested walks. But the real joy is city walking — Bruges' canal paths, Ghent's medieval waterfront, and Brussels' hidden Art Nouveau facades reward every detour.
Did You Know?
Belgium has over 1,000 different beers, many brewed by Trappist monks.
Brussels' Manneken Pis statue has a wardrobe of over 1,000 costumes.
Belgium produces 220,000 tonnes of chocolate per year.
The Belgian waffle actually comes in two types: Brussels (rectangular, light) and Liège (round, denser, sweeter).
Belgium has the world's densest railway network.